Farewell to Anatolia

Farewell to Anatolia (Greek Ματωμένα Χρώματα - literally "Bloodied earth") is a book written by Dido Sotiriou and published in 1962, a first-hand account of the Greek community's living conditions in Asia Minor and how it was affected by the Amele Taburu in World War I, the landing of the Greek army in 1919 and, finally, the Asia Minor disaster of 1922.

Farewell to Anatolia is the autobiography of Manolis Axiotis, a Greek from the small, Turkish-speaking village of Kirkince, situated near ancient Ephesus. It describes his own upbringing, the hard-work ethic of the Greek Asia Minor community and its dealings with their Turkish neighbours. It then proceeds to give lurid accounts of the suffering of Greeks in the Amele Taburu (work brigades) set up by the Ottoman government during World War I. This is followed by the break-down of the Ottoman government following its defeat in the war and the landing of the Greek army in Asia Minor in May of 1922.

Axiotis is conscripted and goes on to describe his experience, as a Greek soldier, in the ensuing Greco-Turkish War. Finally, after the defeat of the Greek army, he details in frank language the sufferings of the Greek community prior to their exodus in the population exchange.

Far from an ultra-nationalist tale of the events of the first part of the 20th century in Asia Minor, "Farewell to Anatolia" is a very frank, down-to-earth account narrated by a villager who openly speaks about the good and bad of Greeks and Turks. It has been translated into several languages - including Turkish - and has sold over 250,000 copies. Among other things, it has been called the "War and Peace" of Greece.